Love or Something Like It

© 2015 by Laurie Friedman

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Friedman, Laurie B., 1964–

Love or something like it / by Laurie Friedman.
      pages cm. — (The mostly miserable life of April Sinclair ; #4)

Summary: As summer approaches, April is conflicted about going to camp and missing time with new boyfriend Matt and her friend Sophie, who'll be visiting. Is her flame with Matt strong enough to survive a long absence?

ISBN 978-1-4677-0928-6 (trade hard cover : alk. paper)
ISBN 978-1-4677-0944-6 (ppk.)
ISBN 978-1-4677-6190-1 (EB pdf)

[1. Dating (Social customs)—Fiction.  2. Friendship—Fiction.  3. Family life—Fiction.  4. Camps—Fiction.  5. Diaries—Fiction.]  I. Title.
PZ7.F89773Lov 2015
[Fic]—dc23

2014018570

Manufactured in the United States of America
1 – BP – 12/31/14
eISBN: 978-1-46776-190-1 (pdf)
eISBN: 978-1-46777-788-9 (ePub)
eISBN: 978-1-46777-789-6 (mobi)

For my fabulous nieces and nephew,
Hannah, Mimi, Tillie, and Louis!
Love you all!

—Aunt Laurie

For I ne'er saw true beauty till this night.

—Romeo

Sunday, March 9, 10:49 p.m.
Last night of spring break

I'm not a Shakepeare fan, but I love this quote because it's so romantic. When Romeo saw Juliet, he was captivated by her beauty. I'd like to think Matt felt the same way when he saw me tonight, but since I was sporting oversized pajama pants and an old Camp Silver Shores XL T-shirt, with a face full of zit cream, chances are pretty good he didn't.

I had just turned my light off when I heard a knock at my window. I got out of bed and pulled my curtain back, and Matt was on the other side. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. Part of me was happy he was there, but another part of me wished I could have rewritten the script and done a quick-change act before I opened the curtain. I hated that Matt caught me looking like such a mess.

“Come outside,” he mouthed through the glass.

I said a silent apology to Mom as I discreetly used my curtain to wipe the zit cream off. No way was I letting Matt Parker see me with white goop all over my face.

As I opened the window, Matt put his finger to his lips for me to be extra quiet. I would have been anyway—if my parents had any idea I was climbing out my bedroom window in my pajamas, they would add it to the long list of things they've already told me I'm not allowed to do with Matt. He put his hand on my knee as I settled in next to him on my front porch. Even though the neighbors' view is mostly blocked by the two large pine trees in front of my house, I did a quick scan of my street to make sure no one was out and could see us.

“You look cute in your PJs,” Matt whispered.

I glanced down at my flannel pants and faded T-shirt. Matt had on jeans and a T-shirt that showed off his biceps in this amazing way. I felt dumpy in comparison. “What are you doing here?” I whispered back. I tried to tuck some of the excess fabric of my pajama bottoms under my legs.

Matt grinned. His white teeth actually glistened in the moonlight. “I wanted to see you. Don't you want to see me?” he asked.

I nodded. “I just don't want my parents to hear us,” I whispered. Even though my bedroom is the only one on the front side of the house by the front door, my parents and sisters are just across the hall.

I waited for Matt to say something, but he didn't. We sat side by side on my front porch, looking up at the moon and the stars. “So?” I said after the silence seemed to be taking a little longer than it should.

Matt threw my question back at me. “So?” he said. Then he added, “What are you thinking?”

I racked my brain to come up with what I wanted to say. Since Matt came to see me, I thought he should be the one to talk first. But one thing I've learned about Matt since he moved in next door last year is that unless he has something he really wants to say, I seem to be the one who does most of the talking.

I decided to say what was really on my mind. “I think I look stupid in these pajamas.”

Matt smiled and squeezed my knee. “I already told you I think you look cute.” He raised an eyebrow at me, like he was waiting for me to move on to the next topic.

I took a deep breath. “I guess I'm kind of sad spring break is over.”

Matt nodded like he wanted me to elaborate.

“You know, it was fun hanging out together, and I'm bummed that tomorrow we have to go back to school.” I probably should have stopped talking at that point and just let it seem like my only issue was the fact that classes and homework were less than twelve hours away, but Matt just sat there, looking at me, so I kept going.

“It'll be kind of weird to not be together,” I said slowly. “You know, like, I'll be at the middle school and you're in high school, so we won't see each other all day.” It was definitely Matt's turn to talk. He ran his fingers through his sandy hair like he was trying to think of something to say, but he didn't say anything. So I did. “I'll miss you,” I added.

I wanted to reel the words back in as soon as they left my mouth. I couldn't believe I told Matt Parker I'll miss him. I sounded ridiculous.

Matt must have thought so too, because he broke his code of silence and started laughing. I was glad it was dark outside and he couldn't see me blushing. I shifted, partly because my butt hurt from sitting on the hard bricks but mainly because I was feeling like a complete and total idiot for telling Matt I'll miss him.

I think Matt could tell, because he did something totally cool and amazing. He lifted me up by my waist and pulled me onto his lap. I couldn't even believe it. One minute I was dying of embarrassment, and the next I was sitting on Matt Parker's lap. I could feel his thigh muscles tense beneath me.

“Well?” Matt asked as I settled into the fold of his legs. His face was inches from mine. I could feel his breath when he exhaled. My stomach did a backflip.

“Well,” I said back, mostly because I couldn't think of anything else to say.

“You know we live next door to each other, so we'll still see each other,” he said softly.

“I know.” I tried to shrug like it was no big deal.

Then Matt kissed me. Softly. On the lips. It was such a sweet kiss. His mouth lingered on mine for a long time, and when he pulled back he said, “This will be our place.”

“My front porch?”

Matt's blue eyes twinkled. “Your front porch after dark.”

The way he said it gave a whole new meaning to the bricks and mortar that have been just outside my bedroom window since the day I was born. “I like that idea,” I told Matt.

He smiled a ridiculously cute smile. Then he lifted me as he stood and planted another kiss on my lips. “See ya.” He waved as he walked toward his house.

I felt like Juliet as I watched my Romeo go back to his castle. Except I bet she wouldn't have been caught wearing baggy pajamas.

11:17 p.m.
Can't sleep

I'm wide awake. I don't know if it's because I'm still thinking about what just happened with Matt or because I'm wondering what's going to happen when I go to school tomorrow. I don't know what people are going to say when they find out Matt and I are going out.

It's not like it's a secret. But I didn't exactly post it online either. The thing is that Matt and I have a history, and in some people's opinions, not an entirely good one. Everyone knows he's the reason Billy and I broke up.

It's still hard for me not to think about what happened when he kissed me while Billy and I were going out, and how everyone freaked when they found out. Especially Billy and Brynn. I mean, Billy had good reason to be upset. Brynn too, but not as much. And no matter how many times I tried to explain things to her, she couldn't see anything from my perspective.

She just couldn't understand that sometimes things happen that aren't planned, and Matt Parker was one of those things.

I never planned to kiss him last fall. And when he kissed me, I hadn't expected to feel the way I did. Or that it would cause so much drama when everyone found out. When people realized that Matt and I weren't actually a thing, it finally blew over.

But now Matt and I
are
a thing. It's not that I'm embarrassed about it. He's so hot, and the four days we've been going out have made this maybe the best week of my life. It was just Matt and me, and no one else. And to be honest, I'm not looking forward to finding out what happens when other people get added into the mix.

The only people who know about us so far are my family, Sophie, Billy, and Brynn, and even their reactions have been mixed.

To be fair, Billy was cool when I told him. He actually gave me a hug and told me to “trust my judgment.” He said it in a reassuring way, like he respected my choice.

Sophie was cool too. She was more than cool. When I told her, she screamed so loud into the phone, it sounded like she was right next to me and not thousands of miles away in New York.

Brynn was the total opposite. She was like, “Do you think that's a good idea?” I didn't think I should have to tell her I wouldn't be doing it if I didn't think it was a good idea. It bummed me out that Brynn couldn't be happy for me. We've definitely had our differences this year. But still, she's been my best friend since kindergarten, and it would've been nice if she could have been a little more excited for me.